Importance

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Abstract

A disk player supports a disk between two opposing longitudinal disk guides, one with a moving belt running along it. The belt frictionally engages an edge of the disk to roll the disk along the opposite guide. Disks are inserted through an insertion aperture, normally covered by a flap. When the player is ready to receive a disk, the flap opens outwardly. The disk is inserted between the guides through the aperture. The guides separate to accommodate the disk causing the flap to drop onto the back of the disk. As the disk moves, the flap rides the back face of the disk until it falls off a trailing edge, registering a reference position of the disk. Encoder pulses indicate increments of advancement of the belt position. The pulses are counted after passing the reference position, to determine when the disk has arrived at the playback position. A turntable is moved toward the disk until a spindle inserts into a center hole of the disk. If the spindle strikes the disk and forces it upward, the disk presses a damper to an irregular position which is detected to indicate misalignment of the disk. In response, the disk is moved back until it is underneath the flap. The flap is dropped onto the back of the disk and the disk transported back to the playback position. This process is repeated until the misalignment is corrected or a predetermined number of cycles fails to correct it.

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First Claim